Endocardial-to-mesenchymal transformation and mesenchymal cell colonization at the onset of human cardiac valve development.

ABSTRACT: The elucidation of mechanisms in semilunar valve development might enable the development of new therapies for congenital heart disorders. Here, we found differences in proliferation-associated genes and genes repressed by VEGF between human semilunar valve leaflets from first and second trimester hearts. The proliferation of valve interstitial cells and ventricular valve endothelial cells (VECs) and cellular density declined from the first to the second trimester. Cytoplasmic expression of NFATC1 was detected in VECs (4 weeks) and, later, cells in the leaflet/annulus junction mesenchyme expressing inactive NFATC1 (5.5-9 weeks) were detected, indicative of endocardial-to-mesenchymal transformation (EndMT) in valvulogenesis. At this leaflet/annulus junction, CD44(+) cells clustered during e

SUBMITTER: Monaghan MG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4760315 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature